


The Dream Giver

by ugh_sigh (orphan_account)



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: APH America - Freeform, AU, Alfred F. Jones - Freeform, America (Hetalia: Axis Powers) - Freeform, Axis Powers Hetalia - Freeform, Dreams AU, Gen, Happy Ending, Hetalia, I have no idea what to call this au, I'm Sorry, Inspiration, hetalia AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2015-09-25
Packaged: 2018-04-08 01:41:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4285800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/ugh_sigh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a remake of a story that I read. It reminded me of Alfred, so here we are. It starts off a bit slow, but it will get better. I promise! Alfred is trying to find his Big Dream that the Dream Giver gave to him. He goes through troubles and complications. I suck at summaries, I'm sorry. Wow. Also, this is my first story on here and the chapters are kind of short. So I'm sorry if it's terrible. I'll do my best!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Alfred Embraces His Dream

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter starts off a bit slow.  
> Sorry about that.

Not long ago and not far away, a Nobody named Alfred lived in the Land of Familiar.

Every day was pretty much the same for Alfred. In the morning, he got up and went to his Usual Job. After work, he ate almost the same dinner he'd eaten the evening before. Then he sat in his recliner and watched the box that mesmerized most Nobodies on most night.

Sometimes Matthias, his friend, came over to join Alfred in front of the box. Sometimes, Alfred went to his parent's and they watched together.

For the most part, not much happened in Land of Familiar that hadn't happened before. Alfred thought he was content. He found the routine to be reliable. He blended in with the crowd. And mostly, he wanted only what he had.

Until the day Alfred noticed a small, nagging feeling that something big was missing from his life Or maybe the feeling was the  _he_  was missing from something big. He wasn't sure.

The feeling grew and grew. And even though Nobodies in the Land of Familiar didn't generally expect the unexpected, Alfred started to wish for it.

* * *

 

Time passed. Then one morning Alfred woke up with these words echoing in his mind: _What you're missing, you already have..._

Could it be? Alfred looked and looked. And then he discovered that in a small corner of his heart lay a Big Dream. The Big Dream told him that he, a Nobody, was made to be a Somebody. That he was destined to do great things.

Jumping out of bed, Alfred noticed something else- a long, white feather sitting on his window sill. Where did it come from? What did it mean? With a jolt of excitement, Alfred decided he'd been visited by the Dream Giver.

Now, Alfred had heard rumors of various Nobodies in the Land of Familiar waking up to a Big Dream. But he had never imagined that it could happen to him.

He rushed to get dressed, his Big Dream beating brightly in his chest. He couldn't wait to get to his Usual Job and tell his best friend, Matthias, the big news.

However, on his way to work, Alfred realized he had a problem. His Big Dream was way  _too_ big for a Nobody like him. He would be embarrassed to tell anyone. Even Matthias would probably laugh at him.

Still, Alfred was too exited to keep his dream to himself. As soon as he saw Matthias, he blurted out the news. "Dude! The Dream Giver gave me a Big Dream! I was made to be a Somebody and was destined to achieve amazing things! Isn't that awesome!"

Alfred's friend looked surprised, but he didn't laugh. "That's pretty... _big,_ " he said. "Bur if I were you, I wouldn't go about this too much. Nobodies around here might think of you as a fool if you go around talking about a Big Dream."

Alfred didn't want to look like a fool. So after that, he kept his Big Dream to himself.

* * *

 

Day after day, Alfred showed up to his Usual Job. But while he worked, he thought about his Big Dream. He thought about how wonderful it would be to do what he loved to do instead of just dreaming about it. 

Alfred's longing for his Big Dream grew. Until, finally, he realized that he's never be happy unless he could pursue it. Why didn't the Dream giver make it possible? If the Dream giver didn't, how could Alfred ever leave the Land of Familiar?

He had payments and expenses. He has regular duties. A lot of Nobodies counted on him for a lot of things. He was busy. He was all taken up. Alfred felt completely stuck.

Time passed, but nothing changed.

He began to hate his Usual Job.  _This isn't what I was made to do,_ he'd say to himself.  _I just know it!_

After a while, he began to worry that maybe he hadn't received a Big Dream, after all. Maybe he'd just made it all up.

And he grew sadder and sadder by the day.

* * *

 

One evening after work, Alfred went to his parent's to watch the box. But their box was broken so it was very quiet. It was even more quiet because one of his parents were out shopping at the Familiar Foods store.

In the quietness, Alfred started to think about his Big Dream again. He looked over to his father, Francis, who was sitting in his recliner. He was staring at the single page of  _Nobody's News_. Maybe  _he_ could help him.

"Hey dad," said Alfred. "I keep getting sadder and sadder every day. I don't like my Usual Job anymore. In fact, I think I hate it!"

Francis looked up from the paper. "That's awful," he said. "What happened?"

Before he could stop himself, Alfred started talking about the Dream Giver. He spoke of his Big Dream and what he could accomplish with it. "I was made to be a Somebody and do amazing things, dad!" he said passionately. And then he told his father the name of his Dream. As he spoke, his voice trembled. He was sure that Francis would laugh or call him a fool.

But Francis didn't. "I'm not surprised, you know. To hear you say these things, I mean."

"You're not?" Alfred asked.

"No. You've had that Dream ever since you were little. You remember, don't you? You used to build the same dream with sticks and mud in front of this very house."

Then Alfred  _did_ remember. He's  _always_ had his Dream! It was what he's always wanted to do, and what he knew he'd be good at.

His eyes slowly teared up. "Francis," his voice wavered. "I think this is what I was  _meant_ to do."

* * *

 

Alfred and his father sat together quietly. Francis seemed to be remembering something. After a while, he asked, "When you woke up to your Big Dream, Alfred, did you bay any chance find, well, a feather?"

Alfred was shocked. "How did you know?" he asked.

Francis sighed with a smile. "Quite a while ago, I woke up to a Dream as well," Francis spoke. "I had an amazing Dream and woke up to find a long, white feather. It was wonderful. But, I decided to keep my feather on my windowsill while I waited for a chance to use it. I waited and waited, but it seemed so impossible." tears slowly started to trickle down Francis's cheeks. "Until one day, I came home to see that my feather had turned to dust.

Of all the sad words Alfred had heard, these were definitely at the top of the list.

Before he left late that night, his father hugged him. "Don't make the same mistake I did,  _mon fils._ " he said. "You shouldn't be a Nobody forever. You can be a Dreamer! I just know it!"

* * *

 

When Alfred got home, he went straight to the window and picked up his beautiful feather. He turned it cautiously in his hands. He thought about Francis and the Dream he had left behind. Then he had an idea. Could it be that the Dream Giver gave every Nobody a Dream, but only few choose to go after it? The more he thought about it, the more he was sure it was true.

One thing Alfred knew for sure was that he didn't want to repeat his father's mistake. He wouldn't waste his Dream. He wouldn't waste another day waiting for his Dream to seem possible. He would find a way to use it.

* * *

 

Time passed. Alfred worked hard on his plan to begin his Dream. He made hard choices. He made difficult changes. He even sacrificed a lot of things he loved.

Finally, one morning, he was ready.

Alfred ran all the way to his Usual job, his Dream pounding hard in his chest. As soon as he saw Matthias, Alfred blurted out the news. "Hey! That Big Dream I told you about- I've decided to pursue it!"

Matthias looked concerned. "You know as well as I do that Nobodies who use their Dreams leave Land of Familiar, right?" he said. "They set off like a bunch of fools into the Unknown in search for a place where-"

"Dude, I know, I know." Alfred broke in. "And I can't wait to get started!"

"Alfred! That journey is anything but sensible or safe! Why would you even want to leave Land of Familiar, anyway? It's so comfortable here! And besides, you've  _always_ lived here. Do you know what would happen to you if you left?"

"I've though about all of that!" Alfred said. "But my Dream is too important and too precious to just bail out on, man!"

Matthias shook his head in defeat. "So you're becoming a Dreamer?" his voice was a tone lower, something he did when he was upset. Alfred knew this too well.

"I..." Alfred sighed. "I  _am_ a Dreamer." Alfred answered. "I'm telling my boss that I'm leaving today. Tomorrow, I will begin my quest." Alfred looked into Matthias's eyes and smiled. "And, Matthias," he added eagerly to get going. "you can have my recliner and box."

And with that, Alfred walked away, humming a tune he'd never heard before.

* * *

 

**_The night before he left Land of Familiar..._ **

Alfred decided to use the long, white feather to help him remember the truth. He pulled out a notebook and wrote "My Dream Journal" on the cover. The he dipped the new quill in the permanent ink, and wrote on the first page. 

  * _So apparently The Dream Giver gave me a Big Dream before I was even born. I just literally  woke up with it!_
  * _My Dream is what I do best and what I most love to do. How could I have missed it for so long?_
  * _It makes me sad to think that so many Nobodies are missing something so big... Haha! I'm gonna have to prove that they're wasting something great!_




	2. Alfred Leaves His Comfort Zone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

The next morning, Alfred woke up at the usual time. But instead of going to his Usual Job, he packed his suitcase with his usual stuff. The he added permanent ink. He them carefully placed his white feather inside before closing the latch.

Soon, Alfred was walking away from the comfortable place named Land of Familiar, where almost every Nobody lived. He was going towards the border, where almost no Nobodies lived.

Alfred had never even thought about walking this direction before. But, like every Nobody, he knew that the farther you walk on, the more unfamiliar everything became. He also knew that many Nobodies who have tried this would usually turn around and go back to Land of Familiar. He knew that plenty of Nobodies would turn back to their familiar lives, with familiar foods, familiar boxes, familiar this, familiar that.

Some were so glad to be back. They sat in their recliner for days, waiting for nothing to happen and sighing with relief. However, Alfred told himself that he was different form other Nobodies. He would follow his Dream, no matter what.

Glowing with anticipation, Alfred whistled his new tune while he walked. While doing so, he imagined all the amazing things he could do. Life had never felt this promising and awesome!

* * *

 

Alfred had not gone far, however, when he no longer felt like whistling. He couldn't say why, he just wasn't in the mood anymore. He slowly began to feel more and more edgy the farther he walked. The scenery of everything was so different. The leaves weren't as leafy. The trees weren't as tree-ish. The air wasn't as airy as usual. Everything seemed to have a different feel to it.

Now when Alfred thought about his Dream,  _it_ looked different, as well. For the first time, he realized what chasing after his Dream could do to him. That it could cause him a lot of discomfort. He would have to do unfamiliar things in unfamiliar places. He realized that he wouldn't have his familiar box, his familiar foods, his familiar life.

The he had an even more disturbing thought: to do what he most loved, he would have to do what he most hated!

Alfred's mood quickly changed from edgy to anxious. His steps began to get slower and slower. And he began to have doubts about his Big Dream. What was he even thinking? He  _didn't_  have enough talent or skill to succeed his Dream. He was obviously unable to do accomplish great things. I mean, what if he failed right in front of other Nobodies?

And even worse, if he  _could_  possibly do his Dream, he was clearly unworthy. Any Nobody could see he didn't deserve to live his Dream. He  _was_ just Alfred after all. Maybe the Dream Giver made a mistake? Yeah, that was it. He meant to give it to some other Nobody more noble than him, right?

By now, each step was harder to take than the last. His anxiety soon turned into fear. Which was weird for Alfred, mind you. He was usually very courageous and loved to try new things. But something seemed to have changed. Then up ahead he saw a sign. It read:

_Leaving Land of Familiar._

_Entering Border Land._

Now Alfred felt sheer terror. Sweat dripped down his forehead. He could hardly breath. He could barely think.

Then, just as he came to the sign, he was hit by the invisible Wall of Fear. He stopped, unable to take another step. He dropped his suitcase and sat on it.

Should he turn around? he wondered. Or should he try to find another way to go on?

More and more time passed by.

Then he heard these words:  _Why are you stopping?_

Alfred recognized the Dream Giver's voice. "I think I want to go back home, man. I just... I'm not the right Nobody to go after such a Big Dream," he said weakly.

 _Yes you are_ , said the Dream Giver.  _I made you to do this._

"But I don't even know if I  _can_ do this," Alfred said.

_Yes you can. And I will be with you. I will help you. I promise, Alfred._

* * *

 

Alfred stayed where he was. He watched an unfamiliar bug as it crawled over his shoe. Strange birds flew by overhead. After a while, he stood and looked longingly towards the Unknown. Somewhere out there was his Big Dream.

But getting there seemed harder than ever.

Then he looked longingly at Land of Familiar. He remembered all his comforts- his Usual Job, Matthias, his parents, his recliner, his box. There  _was_ something wonderful about nothing happening. He just never seemed to notice it before.

Alfred picked up his suitcase and stepped one time in that direction. He wanted to see what it would feel like. It felt better. His breathing instantly came easier. 

So he took another step.

It felt even better.

He went on. With every step back to Land of Familiar, Alfred grew more and more comfortable. But he quickly noticed he was also growing sad again. And he knew why. With every step he took, he was leaving his Big Dream farther behind.

Then he heard the Dream Giver again.

_Why are you going back?_

Alfred stopped. "Man..." he sighed. "I'm afraid, okay! Happy now? Leaving Land of Familiar feels way too risky."

_Yes it does._

"But is I wasn't the one to have this Dream, why is it so freakishly uncomfortable?" Alfred asked. "Even if it was mine, I wouldn't be this uncomfortable! At least that's what  _I_ would do if  _I_ was a Dream Giver."

 _Yes you would_ , said the Dream Giver, completely ignoring what he said. _Every Nobody does._

Alfred hung his head. He thought for a moment. "But  _you_ could take away the fear. Come on, dude,  _please_ take the fear away from me!" he begged. "I can't continue if you don't."

 _Yes you can_ , the Dream Giver said.  _Take courage, Alfred!_ And then he was gone.

* * *

 

Alfred saw his choice clearly now. He could either keep his comfort, or keep his Dream. But how does one take courage, exactly? Especially when you don't have any at the time. He knew he couldn't just wait at the border forever.

Alfred decide. If his fear wasn't going to leave, he would go forward in spite of it. 

Still nervous, he picked up his suitcase, turning his back on Land of Familiar, and walked towards the sign where his wall of fear sat. And even though his fear kept growing, Alfred shut his eyes and took a big step forward-right through the invisible Wall of Fear.

And there he made an astonishing discovery.

On the other side of that single step-the exact one Alfred didn't think he could take-he found that he had broken his comfort zone.

The Wall of Fear was behind him and his Dream ahead. He was free! He began to whistle again as he walked on, his Bog Dream beating brightly in his chest, once again.

* * *

 

_**Later that day...** _

Alfred wrote in his journal with his white feather, writing about the truth about his comfort zone.

  * _I've got to admit, it was hard to leave my comfort zone. But it would have been harder to leave my dream behind. I'm really glad I didn't! Haha!_
  * _I still don't feel able or worthy to do my Dream... Crazy right! But it's okay, the Dream Giver promised to help me. Not that I need him, but he can be a good support!_
  * _To be honest, I thought I wouldn't be able to cross that invisible thing back there. But guess what! I did it! Aren't I an amazing guy!_




	3. Alfred Meets Bullies at Border Land

Not far past the sign, Alfred's path sloped downward. Ahead he saw the Wide Waters and the bridge to the Unknown. Between him and the bridge lay the Border Land, an open stretch of flat land.

Alfred was surprised to see, standing in the middle of Border Land, a few Nobodies from Land of Familiar.

One of the Nobodies, who looked awfully Familiar was running up to him. It was his other father, Arthur. He rushed up and started to shout at him. "Alfred!" he said. "What the bloody hell do you think you are doing?!" his accent began to thicken. This always seemed to happen when he was angry or upset. "It's a good thing we got here on time! I thought you wold of killed yourself by now!"

"Wait, how did you get here so fast?" Alfred asked.

"You should know this! If you're not  _actually_ leaving, you don't have to pass through all the discomforts, you blazing idiot! Seriously, how do you not now this? You should know everything about trips you're taking! I-"

"But why are you here?" Alfred cut in.

"Well you can't just go on!" Arthur scoffed. He looked more and more worried the more he talked. "I can't believe you would actually go. Honestly, what are you  _thinking_! It's not safe for an idiot like you to be out here. Knowing you, you're probably going to end up dead!"

"But it's my Dream, man!" Alfred said. "It's so cool! I just  _have_ to follow it!" Alfred tried to reassure Arthur. He told him that there is only a small chance of him dying, which worried him more. Arthur seemed to be bossing him around, but he was just worried. Alfred knew he got like this, so he thought nothing of it. He knew that he really cared. He knew that he was worried.

As they walked across the Border Land, Alfred spotted Matthias and his uncle, Allistor Kirkland.

Allistor Kirkland strode up first. "So you've decided to become a Dreamer," he said accusingly. "You do know that that's going against every tradition of our family, yeah?" he said in his intimidating voice that Alfred knew too well. "Why should _you_ go to be a Somebody when all of _us_ are perfectly fine being a Nobody?"

Before Alfred could reply, Matthias stepped in. "I was worried before, Alfred," he said gravely. "But the more I've thought about it, the more I've worried. I don't want to watch you fail."

Alfred was speechless and confused. He always heard things about Border Bullies. But he thought that if it was true, that they would be Nobodies he didn't know. He never imagined they would be Nobodies close to him! Now Arthur, Allistor, and Matthias _all_ stood quietly before him, blocking his view of the bridge to his Big Dream. How would he ever get past them? Should he even try? He needed time to think. 

He asked his Bullies to wait for him. Then he walked alone down to the water's edge, where he sat on a large rock. Looking out into the waters, Alfred thought and thought. He slowly started to think his Bullies were right. Maybe he was wrong to pursue his Dream.

* * *

 

Then Alfred heard a voice call his name. When he turned to see who it was, he recognized a Somebody standing before him. It was Amelia, an old friend who used to be a Nobody, but chased after her Dream.

"Amelia!" exclaimed Alfred. "What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in forever!"

Amelia sat on the rock with him. "When I heard you had become a Dreamer, I just  _had_ to come," she said. "I knew you'd need help."

"Aw, thank you. You would make awesome support," he said. "But did you see the Bullies?"

"Yeah," she said. "I saw the, alright. But think of me as your Border Buster! I'm going to help you!" she sat up and put her hands on her hips with her chin up. Then Amelia helped Alfred understand what's happening. "Your father, Arthur, your uncle, Allistor, and even Matthias are just doing what's natural to them," she said. "To put it simply, when you past through your comfort zone, you shook theirs up. The truth is, if you continue one, they will each lose something."

"I mean, it makes sense, but..." Alfred shook his head. "But what now? Should I make them come to my side? How?"

"It  _is_ possible," Amelia said. "Wisdom is what you need-"

"Hey! I am  _very_ smart!" 

Amelia gave Alfred a hard scowl. "As I was saying!" she cleared her throat. "You should find what's motivating them. Look for what's buggin' them. You might have to try hard, though. A lot of Bullies try to avoid these things. But, hey, if you get to know their worries, it will clear your path. So... Hmm..." she thought. "Turn opposition into opportunity." Amelia was starting to leave when she said: "Hold on to your Dream, Alfred. I can tell your gonna be a Somebody. It's obvious! Good luck!" She then shook Alfred's hand. "Remember," she said. "What matters is who you want to please." she smiled at him and took her leave.

* * *

 

Alfred thought of Amelia's passing words. He decided it was time to talk to the Bullies again.

As the sun began to set, he walked back and forth along the water's edge, talking with them. He told them more and more about his Dream. He learned from their concerns. Then he told them he had to pursue his Dream into the Unknown. By sundown, Alfred was ready to cross the border. He saw Arthur and Matthias came up to him with his suitcase.

"You know," said Matthias. "I... I think you're right. To follow your Dream, I mean. It's totally you. Just be careful, yeah?" he said as he gave him a hug. Alfred nodded and hugged him back.

"Now, I'm not saying I've changed my mind! But I-"

"Arthur, I-" Alfred interrupted him.

"No, it's my turn to talk! I want you to pursue your Dream!" he said, much to Alfred's surprise. "It's only because it's what Francis would want. So don;t think I support you. Because I don't... I..." Arthur's voice began to tremble. Alfred looked up to see tears in his eyes. Arthur crying. This was a rare sighting. The only time he'd seen him like this was when he was drunk!

"I think he wanted to do this, as well." he continued. "I..." he sighed. "I'm going to miss my son, Alfred. I'm going to miss you!" he began to yell again.

Alfred could tell he was being honest and gave him a hug. "I'll miss you, too... dad." he sniffled and pulled away. "Make sure to tell Francis I said goodbye. Um..." Alfred cleared his throat. "Good bye, Arthur."

Alfred shook hands with Allistor (who still didn't look too pleased). While the three watched, Alfred walked towards the bridge over the waters.

* * *

 

In the gathering fog, Alfred failed to notice another Nobody stood on the bridge. But this Nobody wasn't just a normal Nobody. He was the land lord of Land of Familiar. He was the one who decided what was right for other Nobodies. He owned every inch of the land, even the bridge.

"I am denying you access to the bridge." Roderich said.

"Why?" Alfred cocked up one of his eyebrows.

"I need every Nobody to stay in Land of Familiar and stay at their Usual Jobs." said Roderich, a bit too honest. "I refuse to lose any more Nobodies to the stupid notion of _Dreams_. Nobodies need to learn their place. So," he cleared his throat ans straightened his jacket. "I will not let you pass."

Alfred tried not to panic and curse him out. Amelia told him that the antagonistic Roderich Edelstein would be pushy. He had a lot to lose  _and_ he didn't care about Alfred. Now what? What  _could_ he do> Then Alfred remembered Amelia's passing words again.

And that's when he decided to swim.

He knew he might not make it, even if he didn't want to admit it. The Wide Waters were, well, wide. He knew he could swim just fine, but would he make it trough the strength of the water? But something else he knew was that he needed to try.

While his bullies looked on, Alfred walked down to the waters. He was about to step in, when something caught his eye. A small bout mounted nearby. When he got closer, Alfred saw a small note on the seat of the boat.He picked it up and read:

_Alfred, if you found this bout, I know you chose to please the Dream Giver. Good on ya! Enjoy the dry crossing! Your dream is waiting for you in the Land of Promise! Trust me! I promise!_

_-Amelia :D_

Alfred hugged the note and jumped up in joy. He them untied the boat, shoved his suitcase in the front, and shoved off. As he rowed into the Wide Waters he saw his Bullies grow smaller and smaller. When he had finally, really left Land of Familiar, he waved his last goodbye to the Nobodies on the shore.

But by then it was too dark to tell if they waved back.

* * *

 

**_That very night..._ **

Before Alfred went to sleep in the tall, dry grass on the other side of the waters, Alfred used his feather again to write in his journal.

  * _I met Bullies at Border Land today. And guess what!? I knew them!_
  * _So, I guess they thought they would lose something._
  * _I was having trouble seeing who to please. Bit I want to please the Dream Giver and myself!_




	4. Alfred Enters the Waste Land

Alfred slept deeply and woke humming his unfamiliar tune. The fears of leaving his comfort zone were now gone and he was ready to move on. His Border Bullies were now behind him.

His step was light and lively as he walked into the Unknown. Around each new bend or corner, he expected to see the Land of Promise where he could find his Big Dream. But he didn't find it. Instead, he soon found himself at a wide chasm. A haze obscured the view below. When he reached the bottom, he found what lay ahead. And what he saw made his heart sink. He saw miles and miles of nothing but sand, rock, sagebrush, and a few scraggly trees.

He was standing on the edge of an endless Waste Land.

 _How could any kind of Dream live here?_ he thought.

He wasn't sure, but the path continued on, curving away into the dreary distance. So he decided to go on.

Alfred walked and walked. Every time he got hungry, he would open his suitcase and eat. And anytime he would get thirsty, he would open and drink. And every time he thought about his Dream, he would continue.

Time passed. Alfred's skin burned. His feet were blistered. His bones ached. One day blurred into another. And then, one day, he got hungry and opened his case... and  _didn't_ find anything to eat.

That was the day Alfred started to worry. He called the Dream Giver again. And again, he heard nothing.

Fortunately, that was also the day Alfred managed to find a trickle of water coming from a rock. At least now he was only starving. But if he was smart enough to find water, there was no doubt he could find food.

Sure enough, it wasn't too long before he spotted a strange bush with some strange desert fruit hanging from it's branches. He tried one. It wasn't sweet, like he liked it, but it wasn't sour either, so he ate his fill.

Still, the Dream Giver was nowhere in sight.

* * *

 

More time passed. The longest hours and days Alfred could ever remember passed. Desperately, he tried to find another way out.

One day, he followed what looked like a short cut over a ridge. But it led to a canyon that ended in quicksand. Every delay only made him more determined to find a way out. But every attempt led to another dead end.

Again and again, Alfred lost his way. Again and again, he cried out to the Dream Giver to show him the way. But no answer came. Why had he ever trusted the Dream Giver to guide him in the first place?

The day came when Alfred finally gave up. He sat on his suitcase and refused to move until the Dream Giver came to him with a plan.

But the Dream Giver didn't show up that day. Or the Next. Alfred had never felt so lost and alone. He became angry. He got angrier and angrier.

And then a hot wind began to blow.

The wind blew all that day and the all the next. Sand blew into Alfred's ears and eyes. It blew into his teeth and clothes. It blew into his glasses, making it so that he couldn't see. He would have to constantly clean off his glasses and shuffle around his clothes.

When the wind finally stopped, Alfred stood to his feet. But as far as he could see, there was only sand. The path to his Dream had disappeared completely. Obviously, his entire trip through the Waste Land had been a waste.

Hot tears coursed down dirty cheeks. "You're not a God damned Dream Giver!" she shouted to the sky. "You're a dream Taker! I trusted you! You fucking promised to stay with me! Where the hell are you! Huh?" he cursed. It was a habit he picked up from his father, Arthur.

Then Alfred stumbled in despair through the Waste Land, dragging his suitcase behind him. His Dream was dead. And now, he wanted to die, too.

When he came to a scraggly tree, he laid down in it's scraggly patch of shade and closed his eyes.

That night, he slept the sleep of a dreamless Dreamer.

* * *

 

The next morning, Alfred heard something. Startled, he peered up to see a shimmering Somebody sitting in the branches of the tree.

"Who are you?" he asked. The other man climbed down to the ground.

"My name is Matthew. I represent Hope," he said with a smile. "The Dream Giver sent me to help you."

"Oh is that so?" Alfred said with a hint of sarcasm. "Well it's too late...  _Matthew._ My Dream is dead. When  _I_ needed the Dream Giver most, he was nowhere to be seen."

"What do you need that you haven't received?" asked Matthew.

"Well, first of all, if it weren't for a few springs of water I found," answered Alfred. "I'd be dead of thirst right now!"

"Yes? And?"

"And if it weren't for the fruit I found, I'd fucking be a walking skeleton!" he replied, his patience clearly running thin. "Wait! I  _am_ a fucking walking skeleton!" he yelled, adding a bit of a sarcastic laugh. "I could die of starvation any minute!"

"Oh, wow!" Matthew muttered. "And?"

"Well," Alfred huffed. "A little guidance would have been nice. Ever since I came here, it's been one damn delay after another! I've been walking in circles for God knows how long. What a waste!"

"I see," said Matthew, nodding. "So what will you do now?"

"Just tell me how to get back home," Alfred said with a weak voice. "Just tell me how to get back to Land of Familiar!"

"I'm sorry," replied Matthew. "But I can't help you with that."

"Fucking figures." Alfred said. "The Dream Giver sent a helper that can't even help."

"You might be right," he said. "But that's for you to decide.

Then Matthew walked in a direction Alfred felt sure was wrong.

It wasn't long before Alfred started to have second thoughts. What if  _he_ was wrong. He wished he hadn't been so rude to the Somebody named Matthew who represented Hope. And he began to miss him. He realized that while they were talking, he had felt hope for the first time in a very long time.

Alfred jumped to his feet and scanned the horizon.

"Matthew!" he cried out. But he was nowhere to be seen. "Matthew! Hope!" he cried out again. But there was no reply.

Then Alfred had an idea. He climbed the scraggly tree to the top. From there, he could see Matthew in the distance. As quickly as he could, he climbed down and set off in the same direction.

Later the same day, Alfred was eating some fruit beside a trickle of water, when he saw his journey through the Waste Land in a while other way.

_Food enough for the day._

_Water, when he needed a drink._

_A path to follow that let to Hope._

_... That tricky bastard._

He could he have been so blind? Even when the Dream Giver had been nowhere in sight, he had always been near.

That, too, was the day Alfred looked at his suitcase and decided it was the time to leave it behind. He made a knapsack, took his Dream Journal and feather and ink, and walked on.

* * *

 

After that, anytime Alfred came upon a scraggly tree, he climbed it to look for Matthew. And when he had him in sight, he marked the direction and started walking again.

One day, Alfred met some Dreamers named Lovino and Feliciano Vargas returning to the Land of Familiar. They told his a sad story. They had crossed the Waste Land and nearly reached the Land of Promise. But then they encountered Giants so large and overwhelming that the Dreamers felt as small as grass hoppers. And the Dream Giver had been nowhere while they were there.

The Nobodies sound convincing. And he recognized their weariness. But as they continued talking, he was something more: They had stopped trusting the Dream Giver. And now they were traveling the opposite direction as Matthew.

When the Nobodies strongly warned him that what lay ahead was too hard, he saw something else.  _He_ had changed. His trip through the Waste Land had not been a waste. Now he was prepared for what lay ahead, no matter how hard.

"Travel safely," he had told the returning Nobodies. "But I'll be going on."

As Alfred pressed through the desert, his Dream beat brightly in his chest again. And the more the sun blazed, the more Alfred believed that he could find the Land of Promise, no matter how long it took-if only he took the was of Matthew, or otherwise, Hope.

* * *

 

_**One night on the far side of the desert...** _

Alfred wrote about the Waste Land.

  * _After crossing the Waters, i thought my Dream would just be right there. But it was a huge desert._
  * _I was super disappointed by the delay. And not trusting the Dream Giver made it worse._
  * _So it turns out the Waste Land wasn't a waste. I now know to trust the Dream Giver, even in bad times._
  * _I'm stronger now! I know that. I'm following Matthew, and every day I feel more prepared for adventures ahead!_




	5. Alfred Finds Sanctuary

One night, Alfred had dreamed that the Dream Giver was standing near him.  _Well done, Alfred!_ the Dream Giver said.  _come to my Sanctuary!_

When Alfred awoke, he was beside a gargling stream. How he arrived there, or when, he wasn't sure. But the Waste land was behind him now. 

He wondered at his dream and hoped it was true. Was the Dream Giver pleased with him? Was Sanctuary a real place, and could it be nearby?

He picked up his knapsack and decided to follow the stream into the lush mountain forest he saw ahead. Something seemed to be drawing him inward and upward. He couldn't say what. But it felt like an invitation.

Before long, giant trees toward over Alfred. Walking across the floor of the forest, he felt hushed and small and swallowed up by Greatness.

His heart told him this was Sanctuary, and he was in the presence of the Dream Giver.

_Come to the water,_  he heard the Dream Giver say.

Ahead of him, in the clearing, he saw a small waterfall that fed a pool of still waters. He walked to the edge, then slipped into the purest water he had ever seen. He floated and splashed, sending diamonds of light spraying through the air.

Time passed. But it felt as if nothing passed at all.

When Alfred emerged from the pool, the last trace of the Waste Land had been washed away.

* * *

 

Alfred stayed in the clearing for days. The Dream Giver had never felt so close-as present now as he had felt absent in the Waste Land.

Then Alfred heard the Dream Giver's voice again.

_Come to the light._

Then when Alfred noticed that the light, which had been shining all around him, was now shining  _through_ him.

Trembling, he looked and saw into his heart. He saw things he had said and done that he did not want to see. He saw rebellion, and selfishness and betrayal. And everywhere he looked, he saw darkness.

Tears began to stream down his cheeks. "Take it away... Take away my darkness!" he pleaded. "Please take it away and give me some of the light!"

And the Dream Giver did. He took away Alfred's darkness and gave him light. Then the Dream Giver said  _Come closer to me._

And Alfred did.

Again and again, Alfred went deeper into the light. And the farther he went, the closer he felt with the Dream Giver.

Then the Dream Giver spoke again.

_Come higher,_ he said.

Alfred stared up the mountain, his step light. He couldn't wait to discover what the Dream Giver had in store for him.

Before long, Alfred emerged at a summit. He found himself standing on a broad table of rock, gazing at the glorious straight-a river below, then a wide valley, and above it, all along the far horizon, a gleaming ribbon on shining hills.

"The Land of Promise!" Alfred gasped. "It has to be!"

_Yes,_ he heard the Dream Giver say.

Alfred let out a shout of victory. "I made it! My Big Dream is right over there!"

_Yes._

Alfred was overcome with joy and happiness. His Big Dream was finally in reach. Oh, how he wished Matthias, Arthur, Francis, every Nobody in Land of Familiar could be with him to see what he was seeing this moment, even Allistor! Hell, he'd be fine if Matthew and Amelia were there with him, too.

_Alfred,_ said the Dream Giver.

"Yeah?"

_Give me your Dream._

Alfred chuckled, bewildered. "Um... Your kidding right? Haha... What do you mean?" he paused. "It's my Dream. I mean, you  _gave_ it to me."

_Yes, and now I'm asking you to give it back._

Alfred blinked, shocked. "I can't," he said. "And I wont."

* * *

 

Alfred paced back and forth along the rim of the summit, trying to understand exactly what had just happened. Why would the Dream Giver want to take away his Big Dream? How could he even ask? Especially now, when Alfred had come so far. When he was so happy.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't even right.

Then Alfred had a thought. Maybe there was a way out.

"Do I  _have_ to give it back?"

_No,_ the Dream Giver replied.  _Some choose not to._

So he had a choice. He  _could_ keep his Dream. But instead of relief at the thought, Alfred felt confused and sad. What was he going to do?

He slumped down on the rock. He thought for a long while. Finally, he saw what was at stake. He could please the Dream Giver and give up his dream. Or he could go against the Dream Giver's wishes and keep his Dream, but risk losing the Dream Giver's appreciation.

The choice broke his heart.

Time passed yet again. Alfred thought, and thought some more.

The sun set and rose again. In the morning light, his eyes fell upon a smooth, flat stone nearby. Picking it up, he noticed that the stone fit perfectly in his palm. Then he saw a word etched into the surface.

_Remember._

What could it mean? he wondered. Was the message from the Dream Giver or from another Dreamer? What should he remember?

Holding the stone, Alfred found himself thinking back. He remembered Amelia and Matthew. They must have faced this challenging choice, as well. What would they say to him now?

He remembered the returning Dreamers, Lovino and Feliciano. He could still hear their sad and bitter voices. They couldn't have surrendered their Dream here-they didn't trust the Dream Giver.

Over and over, he turned the stone in his palm. Finally, his thoughts turned to the Dream Giver. The Dream Giver had always kept his promise, even when he was nowhere in sight. ans things didn't make sense.

Then Alfred knew what he  _had_ to do-not what he  _wanted_ to do. He carried his knapsack to the edge of the rock and sat down. He took out his journal and his long, white feather and wrote the last entry about his big Dream. He sighed and started to write.

_I am surrendering my Dream to you, Dream Giver. I decided it is you that I can't go on without._

Then Alfred left his journal open on the rock. He wouldn't be needing it any longer. He put his feather and stone in his bag and started the long decent down to the river.

* * *

 

Later that day, Alfred reached the river. No one waited for him there. He had no Dream or plan now. Yet, he felt a deep peace.

He waded into the river and began to swim across, pulling hos knapsack behind him. He didn't care if his stuff got wet. He didn't care at all. At the bank, he climbed out. And the fist thing he saw was his journal sitting on the grass.

His heart racing, he picked it up and read:

_Alfred, I am giving your Dream back. Now you can use it to serve me. Now you can have truly Great Things. And I am with you Always._

_-Dream Giver_

Alfred knelt by the riverside and wept tears of joy. The Dream Giver was more kind, more good, more amazing than he had ever imagined.

Now when Alfred looked at his surrendered Dream, he saw it had grown. Now his Dream was not only about him, but part of the Dream Giver's Big Dream.

When Alfred stood to leave, he noticed on the rise above the river, a memorial built of stones. every stone was smooth and small and had the word  _Remember_ etched on the surface. Standing next to it, Alfred felt awed, and surrounded by many witnesses.

Carefully, he placed his own on the top of the memorial.

And he walked on.

* * *

 

_**That evening by the light of the moon...** _

Alfred took his journal out of his knapsack and wrote about his time in Sanctuary.

  * _I will never be the same after Sanctuary._
  * _I swam around and washed off the Waste Land._
  * _The Dream Giver's light reveled the darkness inside of me. I couldn't believe my eyes! How dare he... But it's okay because he took it all away._
  * _When the Dream Giver asked me to give up my Dream, Of course I said no. But... I realized I was wrong and gave it to him._
  * _The Dream Giver gave my Dream back! Now it's part of his Brig Dream, so it's HUGE!_




End file.
